Un muy buen remake de un excelente FF, la historia es muy buena al igual que la jugabilidad.
i think i should have played the pixel version of this one... the voice acting is great and i love the difficulty of this version but the models were off-looking and the game is so slow. the dungeons are a slog.
the story is pretty cool except that it undermines itself with hilarious amounts of fakeout deaths and mind control
the story is pretty cool except that it undermines itself with hilarious amounts of fakeout deaths and mind control
Final Fantasy IV is probably the title in the franchise with the most amount of ports, remakes and expansions only if we don't consider the seventh installment, which at this point might be a franchise on its own. Why is that?
Final Fantasy IV might be considered the first proper Final Fantasy in story beats, characters and presentation. I won't give you an history lesson but this game was kind of a big deal and cemented FF's position in JRPGs: if the 1st to the 3rd were considered experiments, 4th is THE Final Fantasy we default to when thinking about the series, like Metal Slug or King of Fighters with SNK and Trails in the Sky with Falcom.
This port is accessible, holds a lot of minigames and cute side content the original didn't have but most importantly fixes a lot of issues with the game's balance, since the IV on DS is much harder than the original. I remember reading guides to beat some bosses and it was standard to begin every battle with Slow and Haste, otherwise you'd easily be beaten. Not only, but the most important parts in the story are animated and rendered beautifully, with honest to God gorgeous voice acting and animation. The game presents itself wonderfully and the maps are alive and greatly represent its world.
Sore note: the battles are slower and despite being rendered in 3D they don't impress as much as they should thanks to its slow framerate. I played it on the original hardware, I have no clue if the framerate gets better on mobile or PC, but the DS port didn't really color me surprised. I'd add the GBA port has much more content that is exclusive to that version and it's sadly missing here. Not only that, but the story being very linear means you'll have some characters during certain story sections you might not really want and no job system means you'll have your tools handed to you without any real choice. Also really? Getting a Lv.1 character at Lv. 25 does suck a bit.
So, which version should you play? Remastered, SNES original, DS port or PSP? I have no clue honestly, each has its pros and cons and playing each version to see the differences is not something I'd recommend to everyone. You really have to like the characters and the mood of Final Fantasy IV and it's not for everybody. This port? It's fine enough to get you through the story with some cool New Game + elements, but it doesn't have the most amount of content and if you really don't want to replay a game just for the additional content, I would avoid this port. If you get the PSP version you'll also get access to The After Years, but I don't know if that's a plus or not, so really pick your poison.
Final Fantasy IV might be considered the first proper Final Fantasy in story beats, characters and presentation. I won't give you an history lesson but this game was kind of a big deal and cemented FF's position in JRPGs: if the 1st to the 3rd were considered experiments, 4th is THE Final Fantasy we default to when thinking about the series, like Metal Slug or King of Fighters with SNK and Trails in the Sky with Falcom.
This port is accessible, holds a lot of minigames and cute side content the original didn't have but most importantly fixes a lot of issues with the game's balance, since the IV on DS is much harder than the original. I remember reading guides to beat some bosses and it was standard to begin every battle with Slow and Haste, otherwise you'd easily be beaten. Not only, but the most important parts in the story are animated and rendered beautifully, with honest to God gorgeous voice acting and animation. The game presents itself wonderfully and the maps are alive and greatly represent its world.
Sore note: the battles are slower and despite being rendered in 3D they don't impress as much as they should thanks to its slow framerate. I played it on the original hardware, I have no clue if the framerate gets better on mobile or PC, but the DS port didn't really color me surprised. I'd add the GBA port has much more content that is exclusive to that version and it's sadly missing here. Not only that, but the story being very linear means you'll have some characters during certain story sections you might not really want and no job system means you'll have your tools handed to you without any real choice. Also really? Getting a Lv.1 character at Lv. 25 does suck a bit.
So, which version should you play? Remastered, SNES original, DS port or PSP? I have no clue honestly, each has its pros and cons and playing each version to see the differences is not something I'd recommend to everyone. You really have to like the characters and the mood of Final Fantasy IV and it's not for everybody. This port? It's fine enough to get you through the story with some cool New Game + elements, but it doesn't have the most amount of content and if you really don't want to replay a game just for the additional content, I would avoid this port. If you get the PSP version you'll also get access to The After Years, but I don't know if that's a plus or not, so really pick your poison.
What I love most about this game are the bosses. Love the strategic side of this game, you can NOT go in thinking you’re just gonna do the most damage in any of the bosses. Prepare a plan and execute it otherwise you are fucked. Baigan gave me TROUBLE first time
My first FF, I enjoyed it but don't remember too much.
Very fun to go to under the earth and to the moon! Fun characters (Kain CANNOT be trusted) and I loved that you are a bad guy at first. Hilarious end-game twists. Encounter rate was obnoxious and I got tired of grinding.
its cool but definitely shows its age also some of the bosses are really unfair and gimmicky
it got yuri lowenthal tho
it got yuri lowenthal tho
I got to the final dungeon, too busy to finish now, I know what's up so feel comfy with stopping here.
This game has better scenario design than Final Fantasy 16 which is so funny to think about. FF16 is certainly /trying/ for something like this, but it's baffling to notice that this game has better female characters and more consistent plotting. It's hard not to compare the two, with both games having very thin characters with singular strong concepts and a narrative focused on moving from cool image to cool image. But... one is a game from 1991 and the other from 2023 which makes the extent to which the comparison is unfavorable downright strange.
The use of the battle system as a narrative space-time (and TIME is important, it's "Active Time Battle" after all) is breathtaking today as historical curio as it would have been as a formal innovation at the time. Such a masterful understanding of games as theatrical works, battles as stages, command based gameplay as directing a play. Certainly an aspect lost within the move towards action combat, even in half-steps like the FF7 Remake series or even FF13.
This game has better scenario design than Final Fantasy 16 which is so funny to think about. FF16 is certainly /trying/ for something like this, but it's baffling to notice that this game has better female characters and more consistent plotting. It's hard not to compare the two, with both games having very thin characters with singular strong concepts and a narrative focused on moving from cool image to cool image. But... one is a game from 1991 and the other from 2023 which makes the extent to which the comparison is unfavorable downright strange.
The use of the battle system as a narrative space-time (and TIME is important, it's "Active Time Battle" after all) is breathtaking today as historical curio as it would have been as a formal innovation at the time. Such a masterful understanding of games as theatrical works, battles as stages, command based gameplay as directing a play. Certainly an aspect lost within the move towards action combat, even in half-steps like the FF7 Remake series or even FF13.
- Fun RPG with basic elements but an actual story this time.
- The style and art is actually good with some of the enemies having interesting designs.
- There is an actual plot in this game and it is good for the time it came out.
- OST is good but sadly not that memorable.
- The style and art is actually good with some of the enemies having interesting designs.
- There is an actual plot in this game and it is good for the time it came out.
- OST is good but sadly not that memorable.
Final Fantasy IV pode ser debatido como o jogo mais importante da franquia, ao menos dentro dela mesma, mesmo com diversas entradas, cada uma sendo muito única, o IV ainda é mantido vivo em todos. Inclusive o meu título favorito da série e o mais recente quando estou escrevendo isso, o Final Fantasy XVI que usa o IV na intenção de subverter diversos dos seus plots como o tema de irmandade dentro do jogo, que de forma análoga cria uma história de redenção para Golbez/Clive onde ele aceita a verdade por trás de seu passado obscuro e da sua relação com seu irmão, o final de ambos os jogos tem diversas semelhanças em plot, não quero entrar em spoilers pesados de ambos os jogos, mas para além dos paralelos nos jogos mais recentes da franquia, o IV cria a base de uma história mais dubia e cinza, refletindo sobre o maniqueísmo inicial da franquia e ainda assim mantendo essas bases dicotômicas na relação entre bem e mal. É um jogo que acima de tudo explora humanos como humanos, como seres complexos que são ambíguos, e explora isso abordando temas como colonialismo, genocídio, preconceito, luto e acima de tudo redenção, Final Fantasy IV é sobre mostrar que não somos definidos por onde nascemos, é um de nossos traços, sempre estamos abertos a mudanças e precisamos dessas mudanças sejam elas felizes ou tristes.
O 3D Remake eu considero uma excelente forma de experienciar esse clássico, além de diversas melhorias de qualidade de vida, ele ainda tem uma direção muito apropriada para as cenas do jogo e a dublagem ajuda muito nisso.
O 3D Remake eu considero uma excelente forma de experienciar esse clássico, além de diversas melhorias de qualidade de vida, ele ainda tem uma direção muito apropriada para as cenas do jogo e a dublagem ajuda muito nisso.
This right here was the game and version that got me into the series. The graphics, while a bit dated due to their nature, are very charming. While the party composition is a bit more limited compared to the GBA and PSP versions, the augment system helps shake things up a bit. There are some things that are there to challenge veterans and certainly filtered me for a bit when I was younger. I think this version is worth playing, but mainly if you are already a fan of this game and want a new way to experience it.
Still a good game because it's FF4. The art style just isn't my cup of tea.
This review contains spoilers
How many times can this game pull the "kain was brainwashed" bit and get away with it
child me loved this game, i really need to replay it as an adult
While many might choose the GCN remake of Resident Evil as the best example of what a remake should be, my choice would be the DS Final Fantasy. While it provides voice-acting and more additions to the story, the gameplay is different enough to where it still makes the original worth playing (which has a great PSP remaster that adds new areas and more bosses).
The DS version is the native and best version for me still. It shows a little the age and I would recommend to play it on original hardware. When it's all done: yep, the game is an awesome roller-coaster of events and dramas.
This review contains spoilers
I'm a paladin trapped in a dark knight's body
Quite possibly the most underrated Final Fantasy title, Final Fantasy IV was a great foray into storytelling for the fledgling series at the time. It does some pretty surprising story beats, especially late in the game, at least in terms of where the party goes - iykyk.
More importantly, though, Final Fantasy IV is simply engaging to play throughout. It never feels like it's dragging, it never feels like it's holding your hand too much, and it keeps you on your toes as well with how many instances of party swapping it does through the plot. You probably won't have a truly consistent party until you're getting ready for the final dungeon, at least beyond Cecil, and I appreciate that it does that.
I'd definitely recommend the PSP version - not only does the spritework look nicer imo, it also includes The After Years and the Interlude episode if you liked this game enough. However, the Pixel Remaster is a good way to go as well. Final Fantasy IV just has an ungodly amount of ports so it can be overwhelming to decide. Regardless, I highly recommend it.
Score: 91
More importantly, though, Final Fantasy IV is simply engaging to play throughout. It never feels like it's dragging, it never feels like it's holding your hand too much, and it keeps you on your toes as well with how many instances of party swapping it does through the plot. You probably won't have a truly consistent party until you're getting ready for the final dungeon, at least beyond Cecil, and I appreciate that it does that.
I'd definitely recommend the PSP version - not only does the spritework look nicer imo, it also includes The After Years and the Interlude episode if you liked this game enough. However, the Pixel Remaster is a good way to go as well. Final Fantasy IV just has an ungodly amount of ports so it can be overwhelming to decide. Regardless, I highly recommend it.
Score: 91
Very enjoyable re-imagining of the SNES classic, with an added perk system and voice acting.
However, I'm not a huge fan of the chibi art style, and prefer the original pixel art. The additional features also feel more like fluff than definitive requirements, but was still very enjoyable to play through.
However, I'm not a huge fan of the chibi art style, and prefer the original pixel art. The additional features also feel more like fluff than definitive requirements, but was still very enjoyable to play through.
some of my earliest memories are on the SNES version of this game. have played it across its many ports and remakes many times over the years and it still holds up and has a ton of charm and is fun to play.
Same thing that I said about the FF3 remake, this is the perfect artstyle and nothing can beat it.
Simplesmente o Final Fantasy que possui um dos meus grupos de personagens favoritos dessa incrível serie
The NDS remake of this game makes it flawless.
It is considerably better than the previous ones. For the first time the characters have a significant background, the story is much better and the gameplay is improved.
It is considerably better than the previous ones. For the first time the characters have a significant background, the story is much better and the gameplay is improved.
Nota personal: 8
My first RPG! It's like, fine.
Cant tell if the story was 'better' than FFIII. Almost reached lvl 99 for the first time, but alas everyone finished about lvl 85
the augment system sucks purely because it doesn't tell you you need to spend precious resources on party members you know will leave permanently to get the necessary upgrades to beat the game so you basically need a guide, also the 100% took me 3 playthroughs and farming a DOZEN items with 0.4% drop rate...on very tough enemies that require a special consumable item to encounter so fuck that shit
This review contains spoilers
The challenge of this game is often more frustrating than thrilling, but when it's thrilling--it really shines. I loved the animated cutscenes, how they brought such life to the characters, a few of which I came to love so dearly, like Rydia and Cecil.
So much of that is forgotten, however, when the random encounter rate is particularly outrageous and when I think of the very existence of the final dungeon. It was so grueling that I was reluctant to pick it up and finish it--and funnily enough, the final boss is laughable in comparison to the sadism of the dungeon, even if I got sweaty toward the end of the fight.
The necessity of grinding is what bogs down this game; of course, knowledge of the augment mechanic makes it easier, but figuring out how to obtain the most valuable augments, or even knowing that they exist, basically forces you to consult a walkthrough. Their importance isn't stressed enough because they'd make certain boss fights like cakewalks--but this requires you to know that they even exist, like I said. How I would've loved to have Bluff on Rydia, for example... then there are characters that leave the party for good, but it's impossible to know this without spoiling yourself, making you wonder whether using an augment on a character is a waste or a boon (and spoiler alert: teaching Cid Counter was one of the worst things I did).
But no, why wouldn't you use all the greatest augments on Cecil? Seems like common sense, right... but then there's a weakness, that an OP Cecil makes the other characters functionally useless, or at least not as vital, aside from Designated Healer Rosa.
The active-time-battle system drags especially at the beginning when you're at low levels--the meter fills dreadfully slowly. I found myself doing other things while just waiting for my characters' turns.
I had some incredible moments with this game--Mt. Ordeals in particular, and the flashback scene with Golbez--but my God, I would not repeat either the Tower of Babil or Lunar Subterrane.
So much of that is forgotten, however, when the random encounter rate is particularly outrageous and when I think of the very existence of the final dungeon. It was so grueling that I was reluctant to pick it up and finish it--and funnily enough, the final boss is laughable in comparison to the sadism of the dungeon, even if I got sweaty toward the end of the fight.
The necessity of grinding is what bogs down this game; of course, knowledge of the augment mechanic makes it easier, but figuring out how to obtain the most valuable augments, or even knowing that they exist, basically forces you to consult a walkthrough. Their importance isn't stressed enough because they'd make certain boss fights like cakewalks--but this requires you to know that they even exist, like I said. How I would've loved to have Bluff on Rydia, for example... then there are characters that leave the party for good, but it's impossible to know this without spoiling yourself, making you wonder whether using an augment on a character is a waste or a boon (and spoiler alert: teaching Cid Counter was one of the worst things I did).
But no, why wouldn't you use all the greatest augments on Cecil? Seems like common sense, right... but then there's a weakness, that an OP Cecil makes the other characters functionally useless, or at least not as vital, aside from Designated Healer Rosa.
The active-time-battle system drags especially at the beginning when you're at low levels--the meter fills dreadfully slowly. I found myself doing other things while just waiting for my characters' turns.
I had some incredible moments with this game--Mt. Ordeals in particular, and the flashback scene with Golbez--but my God, I would not repeat either the Tower of Babil or Lunar Subterrane.
This review would have been longer, but the writer was sacrificed again to move the plot along. She'll be back in five minutes I'm sure.
beat this game ona vacation to cuba and the sd card in the r4 died right after so i was stuck playing a shugo chara game for the rest of the trip on her r4 instead